What is a brine?

It’s the fastest way to the best-tasting meat you have ever had!?? Brine is a solution of salt and liquid with an extremely high salt content. It has been used for years as a preservative, because salt inhibits the growth of bacteria.

??Brine also can be used as a marinade for meats before they are roasted, grilled or baked. Brined meat is more tender and flavorful, as well as moist.

Adding your own ingredients to your brine will make it your own and give your food the flavor that matches the theme of the meal you are preparing.?

?Why use a brine as a marinade??

?First, it’s a tenderizer; it breaks down the cellular structure of meats. It also infuses the meat with water, since the high salt content forces the brine into the cells of the meat. ??When the brine pushes into the meat, it also brings the spices in the mixture along with it, concentrating the marinade inside the meat. During the cooking process, meat that is brined stays juicy, moist and tender, in addition to developing more flavor.?

?How to brine?

You should think about a brine in several parts. First, the size of the meat. You need to give 1.5 hours per pound for the brine to work its magic. You will need a place to completely submerge your meat for the time it brines.

You will need to think about the flavor you want your meat to have, because that flavor will be infused into the meat. Think about the theme of the meal and what flavors you want to have accentuated in the food.

Salt, Salt, Salt. That is the biggest key to your brine. You need plenty of salt to make sure the flavors really get into your meat. Figure on ½ cup of salt per gallon of water. Make sure you dissolve your salt in hot water before you add your meat.

??For a nice crispy skin, take your meat out of the brine a few hours before cooking to allow it to dry.

??Ok, now that we know how to brine, let make one:??

Holiday Spice Brine?

Ingredients
1 Oven Stuffer Roaster Chicken
2 cups salt
½ cup nutmeg?
½ cup allspice
½ cup cinnamon
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup cloves
1 cup orange juice
½ cup honey?
4 gallons of water

??Equipment
Large Pot
Large Pot
Cover

??Preparation
Add water and salt to large pot
Allow salt to dissolve?Add all ingredients to the pot except chicken
Stir contents of pot?Allow all ingredients to dissolve?
Set aside and cool?
Add chicken to pot and cover
Refrigerate for 1.5 hours per pound?
Preheat oven to 350?
Remove from brine and allow to dry
Tin foil the breast of the chicken
Put in oven until liquid runs clear or an internal temp of 150-160 is reached

??For service?
Carve and enjoy?!

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